You're going to need one of the best workstations at your disposal, whether you need to crunch a horde of data or edit large video files in 4K.
The best workstations are targeted toward professional users who need to run graphics-intensive apps. The key difference between some of the best gaming laptops around and a workstation is its GPU, as it's primarily optimized for tasks such as design and 3D rendering instead of sheer gaming performance. And workstations generally have stronger CPUs as well, like an Intel Core i9 or Intel Xeon processor, instead of the typical Core i7 you'd find in most gaming laptops.
To speed up your workflow in apps like Adobe Premiere or Blender, your workstation needs a beastly processor (such as Intel's Xeon series); a vibrant, color-accurate display; and a powerful GPU.
While the quest to procure the best workstation is no feeble task, we will help you pick the best system for your needs and budget. Whether you need a huge, vibrant display or an affordable powerhouse, here are the best workstations you can buy right now.
The new generation of best workstations is here. The MSI WS65 9TM is blasting through fools with an Intel Core i7-9750H processor and a beastly Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 GPU with 16GB of VRAM.
Combo that with a superslim and lightweight design, a ridiculously vivid 4K display and a decent battery life. Oh, and did we mention that this 0.7-inch thin workstation is also mil-spec tested? Yeah, the MSI WS65 9TM is a straight-up beast.
The HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 is the king of 2-in-1 workstations. It's armed to the teeth in military-durable aluminum and it's equipped with an all-powerful Intel Xeon processor and Nvidia Quadro graphics.
Between that, its gorgeous 4K display, 0.8 inches-slim physique and tactile keyboard, this is the machine you want. Another key feature is the ZBook Pen, which offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity as well as tilt controls and three customizable buttons. On top of that, this HP has impressive battery life. The perfect all-around creative speed demon among the best workstations.
What drew me in about the Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro W700G3T, apart from its exhaustively long name, is its stunning Turquoise Gray design and vivid 16:10 display. Its 17-inch screen is colorful and bright, and its beefy Intel Xeon E-2276M processor (with 32GB of RAM) can handle whatever you throw at it. Throw in a comfortable keyboard, and the StudioBook Pro is one of the best workstations around.
With its raw power and pure sRGB, the Dell Precision 7730 has one of the most colorful displays you can find. Its Core i9-8950HK CPU destroys the competition, and its 17.3-inch, 4K panel covers a ridiculous percentage of the sRGB spectrum. In addition, it offers a Nvidia Quadro P5200 GPU with an awesome 16GB of VRAM, leaving plenty of room to run the most graphically intensive programs. And although the chassis is kind of chunky, this laptop offers a comfortable typing experience.
For content creators on the move, it's hard to beat the HP ZBook x2, which is a powerful detachable 2-in-1 with a slick Bluetooth keyboard. A major selling point is the six shortcut buttons on either side of the display, which can be programmed for Photoshop to change color hues or even increase the size of your brush, giving artists a more streamlined experience. It also comes with a comfortable stylus that feels identical to a WACOM pen, and it offers 4,096 degrees of pressure sensitivity in both the tip and eraser. The HP ZBook x2 makes it easy to visualize your creations with its 14-inch, 4K panel that envelops you in vivid colors. While its Quadro M620 GPU isn't the strongest around, the ZBook x2 offers plenty of unique features to stand out on its own.
A good workstation can cost as much as a good used car, but Lenovo has come to the rescue with the ThinkPad P1. The best part is that if you get the base model you’ll also be getting discrete graphics, unlike many other workstations that offer a pointless integrated version. Premium configurations are equipped with a Core i5-8400H CPU, an Nvidia Quadro P1000 GPU, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. (Not to mention a supremely comfortable keyboard and colorful display.
